subject: Quick Guides and Tips on Using SEO for Newbie [print this page] Quick Guides and Tips on Using SEO for Newbie
For the benefit of these un-geeky souls, they should at least have an idea what SEO can do for them. If not, they do not know what they are actually missing. Sure, they may know that "www" stands for "World Wide Web" and they may be familiar with blog sites or even use social media like Twitter or Facebook for personal use. However, they do not realize that online marketers and website owners are working their butts off using SEO in their websites. These newbies should know how they will benefit from using SEO for their websites.
For a quick background, SEO stands for "search engine optimization" or "search engine optimizer." According to a WiKi source(1), it is "the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the natural or unpaid (organic or algorithmic) search results." It may also be described as "the process of improving ranking in search engine results." You prioritize your site by using SEO approaches, in hopes that it will have a permanent placement in top ranks or pages.
A newbie like you should know the basics of using SEO before you plan to launch your website. Here are those:
1. Page Title tags
When you want to open your website or home page, you should come up with a a good page title or title tags. Search engine sites really love to crawl those sites which have good page titles because it's easier and faster. Make these page titles unique so that when an online user decides to type in a keyword search, your page title might match those keywords. When these title tags are displayed in search results, because it might mean that the page is relevant to the user's search.
Let's say you are launching a website about Auto Cars. A good example of a page title would be Logan's Auto Cars All about auto cars, Car Parts, Car Accessories, Price Details.
For descriptions of what the website is all about, you can write it like this: Landon's Auto Cars sells wide variety of cars and its auto parts, and accessories.
Take note that these descriptions, also called "description meta tags" are found next to the Page Title.
2. Describe each page's content accurately
Using descriptions (or even description meta tags) in each page is very important as it describes the page in detail. When you come across a website where each page is titled as "Untitled 1" or "Page 1", don't even think that the website is found in the first pages of the search engine sites. Be sure that the description of each pages must be significant to the page's content because search engine sites like Google use them as snippets for pages.
For those who don't know snippets are the web page summaries shown beneath the title of a corresponding web page on the search results pages. Also, avoid using generic descriptions like "This is a web page of"
3. Build a good URL structure
Don't you find annoying sometimes that there are long URL's which are very confusing and very hard to memorize? Well, if that's the case, you should really avoid those kinds of URLs and instead, use simple-to-understand and recognizable URLs instead to get across your content easily. Do the same also for sub-pages to avoid mix-ups.
Here are a few examples of a good URL:
www.landonscars.com
www.figureskatinggears.com
www.cellphoneaccessories.com/cellphone_accesories
4.Generate a simple directory structure
A simple directory structure is easy to navigate for users who have visited or come across your website for the first time. If you want to entice them, hoping that they remain loyal to your site, keep your site organized and friendly. Make it easy to navigate. Directories will surely help organize the content of your site. Evade using directory names which are not even related to the content you are sharing.
Examples would be:
Landon's Cars:
- About Landon's Cars
- History
Different Cars
- Parts and Accessories
- Prices information
Contact Details
Map and Location
5. Present quality content and services
This is very important because users are checking out your website for information and good content. Providing a compelling and useful content will influence your website. Do you know that most websites end up in top pages because of its authority and quality content? Once users see that your website is good, they will not hesitate to share it through word of mouth or blogs, forums, or even in social media sites.
So there you have it. These are just the simple ways you can start using SEO for your website. As long as you have good content and the website is kept in order and in shape, it won't be long when you see your own website gets first place in search engine results.
